Well-boring apparatus



(No Model.)

G. PLATT.

WELL BORING APPARATUS; No. 314,473. Patented Mar. 24, 1885 Unrrnn Starts GEORGE PLATT, OF

, ATENT @rrrce.

WATSEKA, ILLINOlS.

WELL BORING APPARATUS.

STEEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 31%,d73, dated March 2%, 1885.

Application filed Jnly22, 1884. (No model.)

to cheapen in cost the sinking of Artesian wells, or the making of excavations similar thereto, for prospecting or other purposes, by providingasirnple, readily-constructed, inexpensive, and easily-operated apparatus to perform the work of and render unnecessary the costly machinery generally employed to successfully perform such work, and at the same time to sink and place in position 'ready for i use the necessary well-tubing and pump at less labor and cost.

My invention therefor cons's's in the gen eral construction and operative arrangement of the several elements composing my improved apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus in operative position for sinking a well, the pump and water-receptacle being partly broken away to better illustrate the construction and operation. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the boring-tool, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the sieve or strainer.

The letter A represents the boring -tool, formed from a section of tubing provided with a chilled-steel point, a, and perforations b. This boring-tool is screw-threaded or otherwise firmly secured to a section of tubing, which in turn is connected to another similar section, andso on as the work progresses, to form a stem, 0, for said boring-tool, the uppermost section of this stem being connected to a pump, D, provided with a discharge pipe or hose, 0, leading down into a tub or waterreceptacle, E. When the excavation has reached a desired depth, the hollow boringtool and the united tube-sections composing its stem remain in place after the removal of the pump and other portions of the apparatus to form the tubing for the completed well.

F F represent timbers or sills united by crosspieces d d, which together form a platform or support for the tub or water-receptacle E, and a vertical standard, G, socketed at its foot to one of the crosspieces d. This standard G is provided with a series of perforations for a pin, 0, or fulcrum, for an adjustable lever, H, the forward end of which is inserted under the base of the pump D, and when operated imparts to said pump, stem 0, and boring-tool a reciprocating motion, the perforations in the standard admitting of the lever pin or fulcrum ebeing adjusted to suit the requirements of the Work.

The tub or water-receptacle E has an opening in its bottom, through which is projected into the ground a short section of tubing, I, a portion of the latter being left extending upward a short distan:e in said tub. The bore of this short or surface tubing I is somewhat greater than the circumference of the sections composing the boring'tool stem 0, which it surrounds,for the purposehereinaftersetforth. In the'operat-ion of my invention, when it is desired to sink a well, the platform, composed of the sills F F and cross-pieces d d, is placed in position and the tub or watcr-receptacle E set thereon. The short section or surface-tubing I is now projected through the tubbottom into the ground adistance of from three to four feet, or until a sufficiently solid earth is reached to hold Water without perceptible absorption, about six inches (more or less) of the tube being left extending above the bottom into the tub or water-receptacle. \Vater is now placed in the tub or receptacle until the end of the surface-tube I, extending upward therein, is submerged. The boring-tool A, secured to a tube-section forming its stem (3, is inserted in this surface-tube, the point of the tool resting on the ground. The pump D is now secured to thetool-stem G, with the forward end of the lever H placed in position under the base of said pump, and fulcrumed upon the pin 0, placed in one of the perforations in the vertical standard G. The lever H and the pump-handle f being now operated by suitable power, a reciprocating motion is imparted to the boring-tool, which, being formed at its point after the manner of an anger, each time it strikes into the ground a partial rotation is effected, thereby loosening the earth and working down into the ground. This loosened earth, becoming mixed with Water from the tub E through the medium of the surface-tube I, is drawn by the pump D through the perforations in the boring-tool up through the stem 0, and forced through the pipe or hose 0 into the tub, where the dirt and other heavy portions settle to the bottom, the water again flowing into the excavation. The dirt and other heavy particles, accumulating so as to nearly reach the top of the surface-tube I, are then removed, to prevent their running back into the excavation. Work is continued after the manner described, additional sections being added to the stem 0 from time to time, as the boring-tool is forced down into the ground, and a pump, B, reaches the water-receptacle. When asufficient depth has been reached, or the water-bearing vein has been tapped, the tub E is emptied of its contents and the surface-tube sealed, thus destroying the circulation of water from the tub. The operation of the pump being still continued, the water and loose dirt are drawn from the bottom of the excavation, and the sinking thereof is completed, the boring-tool and stem being left therein, and forming thetubing, the perforated points of the tool acting as a filter.

Should the earth formation at the bottom of the bore prove too fine, and be likely to find its way through the perforations and eventu-' ally stop the flow of water by the precipitations lodging in the tubing, I insert in the tubing a wire sieve or strainer, K, and with a rod push the same down into the lower part of the tubing or bottom part thereof, thus interposing an effectual means for stopping the ingress of earthy material. This strainer or sieve is not always required, since the gravel of the water-vein generally forms a natural filter about the outside of the tubing.

It will be observed that I utilize the water lifted through the boring-tool as a supply to the exterior tube, and thence to the well, by depositing it in the tub through the tube attached to the nozzle of the pump, and from the tub finding its way to the well through the exterior tube.

I am aware that earth-boring apparatuses have heretofore been made wherein an exterior tubular casing is used, and an interior tubular shaft, with excavating-instrument fixed thereto, and means to reciprocate the shaft and tool, the top end of the interior tube being connected with a stationary forcing pump and water-tank. I am also aware that a boring apparatus has been long since made in which the material is drawn up by'a siphonal current passing through the boring-tube and attached tube extended therefrom to a depositor V I That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for sinking wells or other like excavations, awater-receptacle having an opening in its bottom, a surface-tube constructed from a short section of tubing and projected through the opening in the waterreceptacles bottom into the ground, with a portion thereof left extending upward in said receptacle, a reciprocally-operated pump, and a hollow perforated boring-tool connected to said pump by tubular sections of a diameter less than that of the surface-tube, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a well-boring apparatus, a water-receptacle having projected through its bottom a surface-tube, a hollow perforated boringtool having a stem composed of one or more tubular sections of less diameter than that of the surface-tube, in turn connected to a pump, and an adjustable lever having its forward end placed under the base of said pump, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a well-boring apparatus, the "combination, with a hollow boring-tool and a reciprocally-operated pump-stock connected to the upper end of the boring tool, of a receptacle provided with a surface tube fixed through the bottom thereof and loosely surrounding the boring-tool, and a tube fixed to the nozzle of the pump, and its free end openinginto the receptacle, whereby the raised material is deposited in the receptacle and the water raised is utilized in the boring operation, substantially as described.

4. In a well-boring apparatus, the combination, with a hollow perforated bOlingtool provided with a wire sieve or strainer, ot' a reciprocally operated pump connected to and provided with an extended pipe or hose, a water-receptacle, and a surface-tube adapt ed to extend from the interior of the tub down into the ground and incase the stem of the boring-tool, substantially as shown and de-. scribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

GEORGE PLA'IT.

Attest:

HENRY UPSALL, J. B. MORRELL. 

